Birmingham libraries under threat as council looks to cut £2.3 million from its libraries’ budget.
With the cold closing in, communities crumbling, and an epidemic of loneliness on our hands, preserving libraries - sanctuaries of warmth and stories - has a greater urgency now than ever. To me, it seems as if Birmingham towns, such as Harborne, exist on an axis in which these sacred, community - lead and treasured buildings are at the centre. It is the library where friendships are formed, real and imaginary, within the pages of the books, or within the communities built around them. It is there the first seeds of creativity, imagination, and a burning curiosity for new worlds and adventures, are sown. A childhood deficient of stories and these invaluable experiences seems foreign and bleak; however, this is the future now facing us.
Their future hangs in the balance as Birmingham City Council proposes shutting five libraries, with the fate of the other seven undecided and precarious due to funding and staff withdrawal. These seven could be saved by intervention from community partners and voluntary organisations but if not, they too will see closure leaving just ten libraries open full time including the Birmingham Central Library. This seems a shockingly inadequate provision for a population of over 2.6 million.
With the finger of blame pointing at Birmingham City Council, it begs the question as to how England’s second city ended up in such a dire state. Birmingham City council declared itself bankrupt in September 2023, and it would seem that the closure of the libraries is a consequence of this financial mismanagement. The root of this is likely to be the implementation of a failed and expensive IT system, an equal pay scandal resulting in record payouts, and a punitive financial package imposed by the previous Conservative government. And who suffers the brunt of the repercussions of this mismanagement? The people of Birmingham. They must bear witness as their proud city - once a melting-pot of culture, arts, and literature - begins to step into this privatised, bleak future - the shutting of one library at a time.
The anger at the impending closure of twelve libraries within our city, is understandable. This decision threatens community cohesion, human interaction, and freely accessible education. An enjoyment of literature should not be limited and exclusive - available only to those with sufficient income to spend on books. Literature should not be gate-kept. It is the opinion of many that we have a duty to preserve and protect, and the valiant effort of those across Birmingham to do just that offers a glimmer of hope. From petitions, to fundraisers, a sense of collective purpose is palpable within the city. A group of poets, authors, and playwrights have teamed up with local communities in the launching of a fanzine (an amateur magazine) containing writings on each library, as well as essays, poems, and plays. Through these pieces, they hope to incite interest within the city, and kickstart change. The act of sharing words and building a relationship between author and reader, which transcends space and the passing of time, will undeniably fade from our city- along with the libraries- unless something is done.
If you also feel an instinct to protect these pillars of our society and democratise literature, please join the fight by signing the petition below to help save our libraries.
https://www.change.org/p/save-harborne-library
Sources:
Birmingham mail
Birminghamunison,co.uk
Worldpopulationreviw .com
The bookseller.com